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Utilizing Hot Spring Energy in Kusatsu Town, Gunma Prefecture - November 2006 Kusatsu Town, Gunma Prefecture, has been advancing the introduction of a 1MW geothermal power generation facility utilizing waste heat from hot springs since 2006. The project aims to generate electricity equivalent to the annual consumption of approximately 8,000 households and reduce CO2 emissions by 3,500 tons. The Kusatsu Hot Springs Tourism Association and Kusatsu Town Office collaborated with Mitsubishi Electric to implement this initiative as a regional energy strategy utilizing local resources, with a budget of 1 billion yen. In the 2020s, to balance tourism and environmental protection, the town promoted small-scale power generation with minimal impact on hot spring resources through its own ordinance. The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry also strengthened its support in 2022. Kusatsu Town's case has become a model for sustainable energy use in other hot spring areas.